RE: How Long Before legal shooting hours do you get to the stand?
30 minutes BEFORE legal sunrise here is about 15-30 minutes AFTER prime moving time for BIGGUNS and well after " pink light" as the Wensel brothers call it. I always get a sunrise/sunset table for the area I hunt and plan on being AT the stand no later than 30-45 minutes BEFORE legal sunrise and preferably sooner than that. That is typically 1 hour before " bright light" and well before any light is made (other than during bright moonphases) and 45 minutes before what I call " seeing light" (or the aforementioned pink light). That first 15 minutes in the pitch dark I use to get everything placed and ready and even grab a quick " powernap" and get in tune with my surroundings. You would be surprised how " sleeping" and breathing deeply will quickly slow you down and get you out of the RUSH RUSH mode of typical day to day life. Its easy after you try it a few times. When in timber I actually do " unplug my eyes" and rely on my ears for approaching deer during this short 15 minutes. Manytimes I' ve been soundly asleep and been awaken by the sound of hoofsteps in the dark...
MAN the more I talk about it the more I' m ready to get out there!!!
RA